The Big One Is Coming: 1,000 Years of Pressure Building Beneath California episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 18, 2026 · 59 MIN

The Big One Is Coming: 1,000 Years of Pressure Building Beneath California

from The Karel Show · host Karel

The Big One Is Coming: 1,000 Years of Pressure Building Beneath CaliforniaThe Big One isn’t a movie. It’s a certainty.Beneath California’s Cajon Pass, where millions of drivers travel every year without a second thought, sits one of the most dangerous geological locations in North America: the meeting point of major sections of the San Andreas Fault.Scientists say enormous pressure has been building there for centuries—possibly over 1,000 years. That doesn’t mean a devastating earthquake will strike today. But it does mean the energy is there, waiting to be released.And California isn’t the only concern.Off the Pacific Northwest coast lies the Cascadia Subduction Zone, capable of producing a massive earthquake and tsunami that could impact everything from Northern California to Washington State. Experts warn that when it eventually ruptures, the consequences could be catastrophic.So why do we continue building homes, businesses, and entire cities as if these disasters are never going to happen?How prepared are California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and the rest of the West Coast?And if the ground started shaking tomorrow, would you be ready?Join Karel as he examines the science, the risks, the politics, and the uncomfortable reality that some of the largest natural disasters in American history are not a question of if—but when.Support The Karel Cast:Patreon.com/reallykarelWatch, Like & Subscribe:YouTube.com/reallykarelListen Everywhere:Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Spreaker, and all major podcast platforms.The Karel Cast streams LIVE Monday through Thursday at 10:30 AM Pacific.Follow Karel on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube for daily news, commentary, and conversation.#Earthquake, #TheBigOne, #CaliforniaEarthquake, #SanAndreasFault, #CajonPass, #Cascadia, #Megaquake, #Tsunami, #NaturalDisaster, #California, #PacificNorthwest, #DisasterPreparedness, #BreakingNews, #ClimateNews, #ScienceNews, #Geology, #EarthScience, #WestCoast, #EmergencyPreparedness, #Survival, #NewsCommentary, #CurrentEvents, #DisasterWarning, #SeismicActivity, #EarthquakePreparedness, #CaliforniaNews, #OregonNews, #WashingtonState, #TheKarelCast, #ReallyKarelhttps://youtube.com/live/mnOl9o_MZUgBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-karel-show--1368295/support.The Karel Show is supported by your donations at patreon.com/reallykarel and streams live Monday–Thursday at 10:30am PST. Available on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Apple Music, Spotify, iHeart Media, Spreaker, and all major platforms.

The Big One Is Coming: 1,000 Years of Pressure Building Beneath CaliforniaThe Big One isn’t a movie. It’s a certainty.Beneath California’s Cajon Pass, where millions of drivers travel every year without a second thought, sits one of the most dangerous geological locations in North America: the meeting point of major sections of the San Andreas Fault.Scientists say enormous pressure has been building there for centuries—possibly over 1,000 years. That doesn’t mean a devastating earthquake will strike today. But it does mean the energy is there, waiting to be released.And California isn’t the only concern.Off the Pacific Northwest coast lies the Cascadia Subduction Zone, capable of producing a massive earthquake and tsunami that could impact everything from Northern California to Washington State. Experts warn that when it eventually ruptures, the consequences could be catastrophic.So why do we continue building homes, businesses, and entire cities as if these disasters are never going to happen?How prepared are California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and the rest of the West Coast?And if the ground started shaking tomorrow, would you be ready?Join Karel as he examines the science, the risks, the politics, and the uncomfortable reality that some of the largest natural disasters in American history are not a question of if—but when.Support The Karel Cast:Patreon.com/reallykarelWatch, Like & Subscribe:YouTube.com/reallykarelListen Everywhere:Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Spreaker, and all major podcast platforms.The Karel Cast streams LIVE Monday through Thursday at 10:30 AM Pacific.Follow Karel on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube for daily news, commentary, and conversation.#Earthquake, #TheBigOne, #CaliforniaEarthquake, #SanAndreasFault, #CajonPass, #Cascadia, #Megaquake, #Tsunami, #NaturalDisaster, #California, #PacificNorthwest, #DisasterPreparedness, #BreakingNews, #ClimateNews, #ScienceNews, #Geology, #EarthScience, #WestCoast, #EmergencyPreparedness, #Survival, #NewsCommentary, #CurrentEvents, #DisasterWarning, #SeismicActivity, #EarthquakePreparedness, #CaliforniaNews, #OregonNews, #WashingtonState, #TheKarelCast, #ReallyKarelhttps://youtube.com/live/mnOl9o_MZUgBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-karel-show--1368295/support.The Karel Show is supported by your donations at patreon.com/reallykarel and streams live Monday–Thursday at 10:30am PST. Available on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Apple Music, Spotify, iHeart Media, Spreaker, and all major platforms.

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The Big One Is Coming: 1,000 Years of Pressure Building Beneath California

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This episode was published on June 18, 2026.

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The Big One Is Coming: 1,000 Years of Pressure Building Beneath CaliforniaThe Big One isn’t a movie. It’s a certainty.Beneath California’s Cajon Pass, where millions of drivers travel every year without a second thought, sits one of the most...

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